


Happiness in any Language

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-17
Updated: 2013-05-17
Packaged: 2017-12-12 02:27:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/806099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Do you wanna start placing bets on how long it'll be before you want to kill me or vice-versa?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happiness in any Language

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 8x22, #6! I fought it but they were so damn cute it couldn’t be helped. So I let go and wrote. The first line of this fic was written by the episode writer, Breen Frazier. I had to use it as a setup for my story. I thank him so much.

“I married you for better or for worse.” James squeezed her hand. “I meant it.”

“Is this the worse?” Alex asked.

“Surely not.” He shook his head. “That time you burned down the kitchen in my old apartment definitely has this beat.”

“We had just gotten engaged, I don’t know if that counts. Still, I hope over time I was able to make up to you the loss of that security deposit.” She said.

“There might be a few dollars left on that tab. We have some time to work out the math.”

Alex smiled, even though it was sad. She sighed when James pulled her into his arms again. How could she be letting him go? Cambridge was surely closer than South Sandistan but it was still far away from her. 

And what linguist in her right mind wouldn’t want to add Harvard professor to her resume? They wanted her too. Would she wake up in a cold sweat months from now regretting the entire decision? That wasn’t typical for Alex but didn't make it improbable either.

“I intend to work off every dime.” She whispered as she kissed his shoulder.

“I've got some good news, do you want to hear it?”

“Yes.” Alex pulled out of his embrace but kept her arms around him. She hadn't held James since right after Thanksgiving. As soon as he arrived home this time, she was rushing off for work.

“Classes don’t start until September 3rd. I'm going there a week in advance to settle into my departmental housing. Do you know what that means?”

“It means we’ll be having sex in the dorms.”

“No.” James laughed. “It means that until them I'm home. I'm going to be right here in Virginia for the next three months. I’ll travel a few times to Cambridge to handle some business but baby, it's you and me. At least it’ll be you and me whenever you're in town.”

“Are you serious?” Alex’s brown eyes widened. 

“I'm serious. Do you wanna start placing bets on how long it'll be before you want to kill me or vice-versa?”

“I’ll put $50 on six weeks.” She hugged him close again.

“I say four, but with plus or minus two on the spread, it could be two. It might be six.”

“You’ve put a lot of thought into this, haven’t you James?”

“Do you mean three months at home with my wife?” he asked. “I don’t know how many husbands would be as excited as I am. I've missed the smell of our bed sheets and curling up on the couch to watch movies. I missed sitting on the porch together and discussing everything and anything. I've missed the sound of your voice and how it makes me tingle when we’re close.”

“I love you.” Alex caressed his face.

“I love you too.” he gave her Eskimo kisses. “Are you hungry? I'm sure you were too busy in Detroit to eat properly.”

“I am a little hungry.”

“I did some shopping.” James stood from the couch. He pulled Alex up, putting his arm around her shoulder. “I could make you some garlic shrimp and grits.”

“I've really missed your cooking.” When she looked at him, Alex’s eyes were glazed over with happiness. “I missed the smells, the sounds, and the warm feeling in my belly.”

“It’s been too long since I've impressed you with my stove skills.”

“Are you sure you're not too tired?”

“I'm never too tired to spend quality time with you.”

His cooking was one of the first ingredients to their falling in love. Alex liked James immediately, which was surprising. They were set up on a date by a mutual friend who thought the two workaholics might get along. She didn't expect to be anything but indifferent to the stranger she was meeting at Equinox. 

In less than a half hour Alex found herself just wanting to be in his presence. He spoke with such passion. He had the most amazing smile and bright eyes. They may have been attached to their jobs but their personalities were different enough to bring out something wonderful in each other almost immediately. And when he made her teriyaki salmon with artichoke salad for their fourth date, Alex knew she was a goner.

“I'm suddenly much hungrier than I was when I got home.” Alex leaned on him as they walked into the kitchen.

“It’s always a pleasure to feed you. It’s my profoundest happiness to make you happy.”

James tightened his arm around her. His veto power had been overruled and it hurt. Still, he couldn’t claim not to know Alex…he'd known her for a long time. She wasn’t just a workaholic. 

Her work defined her. He was there as she struggled to climb back from the fall that almost destroyed her career. Alex meant it when she said it wasn’t just about the BAU. This was about her hard work, sacrifice, and her name. No one understood that more than James. 

They could find a million and one ways to be a happy married couple. There were holidays, weekends, and random plane rides for dinner and dessert. If there was one thing they were used to it was travel. It wouldn’t always be easy or desirable though. 

That was the story of their lives together. Love was easy; loving Alex was in James’ bloodstream. Marriage took a great deal of work. Luckily for them both, work was never a problem.

***


End file.
